Both school districts’ boards approved a SPLOST IV vote and put their project lists before voters last fall.
If approved, the 1-cent sales tax would be collected between Jan. 1, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2018, and would be the fourth round of SPLOST funding the school districts have received since 1998.
Polls are not open today, but all 153 Cobb precincts will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Two voting locations have changed:
Residents who previously voted at Community Bible Church now will vote at Chalker Elementary School, 325 North Booth Road, Kennesaw. The John Knox Presbyterian Church site has been changed to the East Marietta Library, 2051 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta.
The following locations will be changed for the Tuesday, March 19 vote only:
* Martha Moore Education Center changed to Ben Robertson Community Center, 2753 Watts Drive, Kennesaw.
* Northeast Cobb YMCA changed to Hightower Trail Middle School, 3905 Post Oak Tritt Road, Marietta.
* Towne View Baptist Church changed to Christ Episcopal Church, 1210 Wooten Lake Road NW, Kennesaw.
* Wildwood Baptist Church changed to Pitner Elementary School, 4575 Wade Green Road, Acworth.
To find out more information about where to vote, visit the state’s voter web page at sos.ga.gov, or for a copy of the ballot, visit cobbelections.org.
The Cobb County School District is asking for voters to approve a $717.8 million list that includes a $39.9 million rebuild of Walton High School, two replacement elementary schools for $23.3 million each, a $29.8 million career academy, $29.9 million Osborne High School rebuild and an east Cobb area middle school replacement at a cost of $29.1 million.
Marietta City Schools’ $55.4 million list includes paying off $15.2 million in debt, $16 million in technology upgrades, $20 million toward construction, modifications, renovations and equipment and $2 million for transportation.
For detailed copies of each district’s SPLOST IV project list, visit cobbk12.org and marietta-city.org.
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I pay property taxes for schools and now this disaster tax.
Where are my tax breaks or credits?
For my public school tax dollars - the Principal at the elementary school where my kids would have gone, said all incoming kindergarten kids are in the same classes. No separation for those who could speak English or not. Social Security card? Not an issue.
For me, paying for something I will not use is senseless. Give me my voucher!
Here is what no one wants to say. We have not been able to cover general fund expenditures for several years now without declaring excess funds from SPLOST. In essence, we are beyond broke. We take from the SPLOST to try to make ends meet, but if suddenly SPLOST was gone, we would have to admit we were broke. Taxes are going to have to go up statewide as the legislature has realized we cannot exist at the present levels. Their forecast is looking at cuts for the next four to five years, with no spending being restored until that point or beyond. Once they raise taxes, and they will, we will be stuck with the SPLOST and higher taxes. In the meantime, we will RIF more teachers and add more furlough days, and cut more classroom time BUT continue to build gyms, theaters, replacement schools. It simply makes NO sense.
The district needs to buy a new bus.
Previously, that bus was paid by SPLOST.
Should SPLOST not be renewed, that needed bus will now be paid out of the General Fund (i.e. operations budget) which just happens to be the same fund from which teachers are paid.
What's a few hundred thousand among friends?
Imagine it's now 40 buses, thousands of textbooks, new air conditioners, roof replacements, printers, copiers, technology items, etc... and it's clear SPLOST does have an impact on teachers' salaries.
Every dollar spent on capital that is not funded by SPLOST will come from the operating budget.
Failure to renew SPLOST will result in:
- Larger classroom student counts
- Fewer teachers
- More furlough days
Seems like a good thing since it addressed Cobb's growth and made it debt free.
The Sept. 2008 SPLOST III vote delivered hundreds of new classrooms. It replaced East Side and Mableton elementary. It built the new Clarkdale and Smyrna elementary schools. It led to major needed renovations at Wheeler among other schools throughout the district.
Seems like "interested" registered voters, or otherwise, got it right.
Bottom line – get to the polls. Be informed and exercise your right to vote.
Can't have you completely missed the new school construction at Wheeler during the past two years which will result in the removal of all trailers there?
In both cases, the new square footage is either necessary to properly serve the students and/or REDUCE operating costs borne by the general fund.
The facility that was replaced is either demolished or sold. The net increase in square footage is only what is actually needed!
Look it up... Maintenance and Operation of Plant expenditures at the Cobb district have actually fallen approximately $4.0 million since 2009 after the addition of new schools and several additions with SPLOST III projects.
If Cobb votes yes but Marietta votes No, and this sales tax is re-implemented county wide including No-voting Marietta, does Marietta end up being taxed legitimately or Legitimately something else'd?
Where is the good reverend whose hackles were raised by the Sunday Sales issue supposedly for "constitutional" reasons? Why is he silent now?
I of course will never vote Yes for a SPLOST that isn't on the fall ballot with everything else. Before this thing is even out of the gate, it's wasting money having an election day calendarized to limit the votes against it.
This statement is false. Absolutely false. I have the data.